Heroes and Villains in the Biblical Tradition

Catalog description

This course will critically examine the narratives of major figures that appear in both Jewish and Christian Bibles by studying them in their own historical context and pondering their ethical relevance to the modern world. The biblical texts themselves will be employed as primary sources for considering biblical notions of virtue and vice. The historicity, personality, and motivations of biblical protagonists and antagonists will be evaluated as reflections of the values of scriptural authors.